kvarterakademisk - Akademisk kvarter - Aalborg Universitet

akademiskacademic quarterkvarterGenre transgression in interactive worksClaus A. Foss RosenstandSWIM is clearly a hybrid genre format drawing on genre transgression,where all four basic genre formats are included. The samegenre progression is also often seen in other interactive works suchas games that include a didactic “how to play”, an epic “introduction”,a dramatic “start”, and then the simulative “play”. Furthermore,a dramatic “outro scene” at the end of each level is quite common,just like an epic “end” at the end of the game, ending with adidactic “list of credits”.Sometimes the genre transgression is intervened by e.g. a didacticexplanation of which button to press on the joy-pad all the whilethe simulative interactive work is running.Genre transgression is as mentioned not a new phenomenon.What is new is the simulative genre, framed in the same manner asthe didactic, the epic, and the dramatic genre – as a relationship betweenthe communicator, the communicated, and the situated userrole. Hence, the simulative genre reflects a genre evolution, not agenre revolution. The simulative genre is added to the other basicgenres presented in this article. When viewed from a user perspective,the simulative genre can transgress seamlessly with the othergenre formats, without destroying or radically changing their respectiveframeworks.This genre evolution is a distinct quality of the simulative genre asit is defined in this article, because the concept of the simulative genreconsequently does not presuppose a reframing of the didactic, theepic, and the dramatic genre formats.ConclusionSo what characterizes genre transgression in interactive works? Theanswer is: A situated user role shifts from participant to learner,listener or spectator, including a shift in the relationship betweenthe communicator and the communicated – that is all! The “that isall” is actually the important point in the conclusion, because itmeans that the simulative genre is a basic genre on a par with thedidactic, epic, and dramatic basic genres.From a practical perspective, it means that genre transgressioncan be used and understood in interactive works in the same manneras in linear works such as films.* * *Volume03 265